15Synonyms found for sweep

Word Origin & History

sweep c.1300, perhaps from a past tense form of M.E. swope "sweep," from O.E. swapan "to sweep" (transitive & intransitive); see swoop. The noun meaning "range, extent" is attested from 1679; in ref. to police or military actions, it is attested from 1837. Sense of "a winning of all the tricks in a card game" is from 1814 (see sweepstakes); extended to other sports by 1960. As a shortened form of chimney-sweeper, first attested 1812.

Example Sentences for sweep

Sweep your carpet with a broom to lift the fibers and remove loose dirt.

Do not sweep away those small operating-budget savings, because doing so only encourages everyone to spend down to zero.

With the brushes, researchers will be able to sweep trenches in miniature computer chips or clean mirrors used in nano-motors.

One day a highly contagious and lethal strain of influenza will sweep across all humanity, claiming millions of lives.

Through billowing smoke, the lights sweep the stage.

Stout branches with upward sweep usual more add to my plant list.

They're born spinning quickly, up to tens of times per second, and sweep the sky with a beam of radio energy as they rotate.

But don't expect text-mining to sweep the humanities overnight.

Most people are way too eager to sweep up their fallen leaves.

With two of these networked together, scoring the amount of dust you can sweep in, you'd have a great game on your hands.